Segmental cam ring



Dec. 16, 1930. H. SWINGLEHURST S EGMENTAL CAM RING 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Oct. 7, 1929 INVENTOR HARRY SWINGLEHURST 3 71:15 a ZZar regs Dec.16, 1930. H. SWINGLEHURST SEGMENTAL CAM RI NG Filed Oct. 7, 1929 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HARRY SWINGLEHURST ?y k zb. aZZar-n Dec. 16,1930. H. SWHNGLEHURST SEGMENTAL CAM RING Filed Oct. '7, 1929 3Sheets-Sheet I5 E. E R N Q R v QM R w h E hm his R i E 7 INVENTOR HARRYSWINGLEHURST 9 his aiiarne ys Patented Dec. 16, 1 930 Qumran STATESPATENT" orrica HARRY swrneLEHURs'r, or ORANGE, new JERSEY, jnssrenon Tseem AND VJIL- LIAIvIS, Ina, OF NEW onx, N. Y., A conroaa'rron orMASSACHUSETTS SEGMENTAL CAM RING Application filed (lctobel' 7, 1929.Serial No. 398,019.

1 bodied either in the cylinder cam ring or,in

the dial cam ring often referred to as the cam cap; It provides animproved arrangement of and way of joining the several arcuate sectionswhich make up a segment of the cam ring and an improvedway of unitingadjacent segments, the objects attained being a simplification of theassembly operation and a simpler and more secure fastening together ofthe arcuate sectionsand of thesegments.

V In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a partial view in elevationof the inner face of two adjacent segments of a cylinder cam ringembodying this invention. Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of 20Figure 1 but showing a part of the base structure below the cams.

Figure 3 is a similar view, the section being on the line 3--8 of Figure1, or in other words it is an end view of one segment, thesection planebeing between two segments. Not all of the cams are shown in this View.

j Figure 4 is a view in side elevation of part of the joint between twosegments, the segments being partly broken away to show the key.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a part of a I dial cam cap, showing twofull segments and a third with two of the arcuate sections forming-itremoved. 5

66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a view in section on the line 7-7 of Figure 5 giving an endview of a segment.

Figure Sis a partial View similar to F iginc 3 showing a modification 1nthe way of 1 arranging a key of thesort shown in Figures 3 and 4. I

V Figure 9 is a partial plan view of the same modification. v 1

Considering first the preferred way in which the invention isapplied tothe construction of a segmental ring for holding the cylinder cams, Irefer toFigure 1 where are shown two of twelve segments forming a fullring. Such segments'are used in a machine Figure 6 is a view in sectionon the line 7 having twelve yarn feeds and two types of needle, long andshort, alternating about the cylinder. The cams are so arranged that theneedlesof one typc knit at one feed while those of the other type knitat the next adj acent feed. Each ring segment carries a full set ofknitting cams for effecting knitting, at oneyarn feedandthereforefofevery two adjacent se ments, one carries the knitting camsfor one type of needle and the other has cams at a different level foracting on the butts of the other type of needle.

Each segment of the cam carrying ring here is built up of two equallength arcuate sections together with a base section forming t;

part of a ring and serving as the support for the segmental sections.The base section, that is, the bottom section and the one to which theothers are secured, is an integral part of the gear ring 11 by means ofwhich the cam ring is driven. It may be noted at this point that thehorizontal portion of the gear ring, the part on which the gear teeth 13are formed, lies outside of the cam circle and that the camsare mountedon the inner i 'face of the cam ring so as to be presented to the buttsextending outwardly from the use dles. The gear ring is mounted in awell known manner on the bed plate and is driven by a pinion (not shown)engaging the teeth 13. The parts of the gear ring directly involved inthe built up cam segments are the upwardly extending annular flange 10on the inner rim of the gear ring and the horizontal part 10 of the ringjust outside this flange. The parts of the ring that support one pair ofarcuate sections will be referred to collectively as the base section ofthe segment. Y

The intermediate arcuate section 15 of the cam ring segment is cutjawayat the lower inside part in such a way that it fits against the outerside of the flange or rib 10 of the base section and presents a faceabove and flush with the inner face of the flange. The

part 16 of the cam ring segment 15 that lies outside (that is, to theleft in Figures 2 and 3) of the flange 10 is slightly higher than theflange, With the result that the weight of the intermediate section istaken by the part l ofthe base section just outside the flange ratherthan by the flange itself.

It follows that the undersurface 17 of this middle section at the cutaway portion just clears the top of the flange.

The upper or outer section 20 of the cam ring segment is similar to theintermediate section, being cut away on its lower inside face to restagainst the outer-face of the intermediate section in the same way thatabove the innerfaces of the other' two sections. One or more boltsextend from the outer side of the outer section through the lower partsof both the intermediate section '15 and the outer section 20 and intothe flange 10, in this waysecuring all three sections together andsecuring both upper sections to the base section. The head of the boltlies in a countersink 26, itsouter end lying flush with or within theouter face of the cam ring, which is the outer face of the section 20. I

Certain related cam pieces are secured to each ring section according toa scheme which facilitates the assembly. 7 The base section carries allof the cams 30 which act to raise, or to limit the downward movement of,the long needles. The inner or intermediate section 15 supports the campieces 31 which lower, or limit the upward movement of, the long needlesand also the pieces which raise, or limit the downward movement of, theshort needles. The-cam pieces 32 which lower or hold down the shortneedles are mounted on the third or outer ring section 20.

Stating it differently, the cam pieces 30 on the base section 10 formthe bottom of thecam track 33 for the long needles, those (31) on theinner or middle section 15 form the top of that track'and the bottom ofthe cam track 34 for the short needles, while the pieces on the outersection 20 complete the short needles track 34 by forming its topsurface.

This applies either to segment A which has the knitting cams for thelong needles orto segment B whichholds the knitting cams for theshort'needles.

The arrangement of cam pieces on any track may be varied and in anyevent, is not part of this invention. It is worthy of note howeverthatseveral pieces shown here may be omitted aslthey serve only to limitthe advancing or retraction of the needles and are not part of theknitting camsproper. They -There are two differences however.

are desirable however and for that reason are shown. "When thereforethis description refers to cam pieces forming a track, or either surfaceof a track, it means the track in so far as there are definite surfacescausing, or

marking a limit on, the movement of the needles. I The cam pieces areheld to the seg- 'sections together'by means of the screws 25,

I provide keys of a particular sort set in keyways in the adjoining endsurfaces of the segments. Thesekey-ways may enter either from the side(Figures 3 and 4:) or from the top (Figures 8 and 9) and are in the partof the carn'ring remotefrom the screws 7 securing the sections together.

It will be understood that the sections forming the ring segments aremade most easily from full rings which are cut to give the arcuatesections. Beforecutting the ring from which. the outer sections 20-are'to be made, series of holes are drilled,'tapped and countersunk inthe side face of the said ring, each hole being on the line where thecut is to be made, with the result that each end surface of a sectionhas a large anda small semi-circular groove forming half of acountersunktapped hole. A screw to forms the key to co-operate-with thesplinelthus 'formedand when the sections are in place on the basesection, this key is threaded into the hole formed by the two half tapsin the adjoining end-surfaces. The threading is primarily to hold thekey in place as it is not desired to put any considerable stress on thethreads.

The primary securing comes about from the fact that the inner endsurfaces 41 of the large grooves 42, formed by the countersinkingdescribed above, are beveled from their respective outer edges to theirinner edges to give convex faces. The

inner end surface 43 of'the head of the key 4.0 is oppositely beveled togive a concave surface whichengages theconvex end faces of thecountersunk grooves 42 and exerts a binding force preventing separationof the segments. The same idea may be used when there is a nut formingthe head with the concave surface, the nut being set in a recess formedby enlarged grooves connecting with the threaded grooves and so arrangedthat I p i the screw key draws it against convex end one section to forma particular shape of cam surfaces of the enlarged grooves. In Figuressamesort of head with a concave inner face asv the key 40 shown inFigures 3 and 4. 7 Here the grooves 4:5 forming the key way arevertical,extending from the top edge ratherthan eifected by this keyiii)from-the" side edge of the outer 's'ection 20. The keys 44 also aredifferentin that they have-an unthreaded stem 46 beyond the threadedportion and have a closefit in a bore 47 continuous with the threadedpartabove.

The stem 46 thus acts as a key in conjunction withtne bore 4L7. Thisgives a securing funcendsurfaces of the large grooves.

The prlncipal actions ofsuch keys are to resist what may be termedbursting forces and forces tendingto put the segments out of ahgnin'ent.These forces are caused byneedles gettingbent or out of theirs'lots' ins'uchaway as'to am against the needle cams 7 whereby they tend to pushthe cam segments outwardly; Tliis arrangement of keys in JCOIHUHC'UODwlth the comparatively rigid mounting of the sections and 011 the basesectlo n gives a very satisfactory construction equlvalent tor practicalpurposes to a continuous cam ring, yet making it possible to have thedesirable incidents segmental ring.

of a sectional,

The assembly of the ring followsthe placing of the needles ofboth types,longand short,'in their grooves 011 the needle cylinder." The needlesbeing put in from the top,

theirinsertion isnot affected bythe presence-of the base section withits cams 3O fas-the needles do not have to go below the "level of thesec-ams.-- Before adding the middle section 15, the long needles} arepressed down onto the cams ofthe base section and the short needles are'elevated above the level of the section 15 or any of I then brought upfrom the outside and as there are no needle butts opposite its camsthere is i1o,difliculty in locating it against the flange 10. Shortretaining screws may then be inserted in holesatthe side of thehole forthe screw 25 and these hold the section in place while the outer section20 is being put on. These retaining screws may 7 ment with the cams 31thereon sothat they be left in place as an additional securing means isdesired. The outer section 20, with its cams 32 in place, is nextbrought against" the middle section 15, but only after the} oftheinnerstepv 52. In this case, there are short needles have been lowered intoengagewill not interfere with the cams 32 on the outer section 20. 'Withthe two sections in building up the segments of the cam cap with onlythose changes made necessary ,or"

convenient by the fact that the dial cams are in a horizontal plane andthe sections are curved on the inner and outer edges rather than ontheir side faces. The base section here is 'a part of the rim of a dischav ing a hub 51 which turns with the central spindle. Its upper surfacehas a cutaway part in its, outer region forming two steps 52, 53011which suitably shaped arcuate sections are laced. :Both lon and shortneedles are used onfthe dial, alternating about itas in the case of thecylinder needles, "and every other segment carries a set of knittingcams for acting on one sort of needle while the alternate segments carryeach a set of cams for the needles of the other type.

The cam 55 which advances the long A needles or limits their inwardmovement is placed on the under side of the base section, that is, onthe under side of the disc 50 near its rim, andare held by screws 57threading in from the outer or upper surface. From this it will be seenthat the part 56 of the base section forming the step 53 is a ribcorresponding to the flange or rib 10 and that the end surfaces 58*, 58correspond to the horizontal part 10 in the cylinder cam base piecesection. The intermediate sec tion 60 with its cams 61, which form theouter side of the cam track 62 for the long needles and the innerside ofthe track 63 for the short needles, has a part cut-away which enables itto restv on the first step 53 011 the outer surface of the base section56. Unlike the corresponding parts of the cylinder sec tion, the endface 64*. formed by this cutaway part of the intermediate, section restsagainst'the rim 65 of the flange 56 and the inner end surface 66 clearsthe end face 58 of the. step 53.

The'outer section/T0 iscut to fit on the intermediate section 60 andtoeXtend also onto the inner step 52 of the base section. It is obviousthat on analogy to the cylinder segments, there could be a single stepon the base section, but as the outer section 70 bears against the rim69 of the intermediate section and the. inner edge 71 of it clears theend face 58?.of the step 52, it is desirable to have somedirectbearing-of the outer section on the base section and here thishearing is between the lower or inner surface 72 of the outer sectionand-the upper surface separate screws '7 5, 76rholding the outer sectionand the intermediate section to the base section.- .Asin the cylindersegments, the

outer section carries the cam pieces 7 7 which either retract, or lmntthe advance of. the

-ishort needles and form the outer side of the cam track 63 for theshort needles.

7 The assembly is'efl'ected in the same manher as that for the cylindersegments, the sections being brought up from the outer side toward theneedles, with their cams in place and after the needles have been so setas to avoi'd interference with the cams.

circular slots. "The keyaction therefore is between the unthreaded partsof the keys and key-ways and the threaded parts serve to hold the. keysin place. The principal difference 7 between the keys used in thecap"and those in the cylinder ring is that the latter rely V principallyon'the co-acting beveled faces to .hold the segments in alignment.

It is possible to vary many ofthe details of. the construction describedand shown here and it therefore is the intent to include with- V in thefair scope of the followingclaims all constructions embodying theinventive thoughts therein set forth.

I claim:

3 1. A needle cam ring segment Comprising a base section with a ribpresenting an inner face, an intermediate section resting against theouter face of said rib and presenting a face flush with theinner facethereof, and a third section resting against the outer face of theintermediate section and presenting a face flushwith the innerface. ofthe rib, said "sections being adapted-to support needle cams, and meansfor securing said intermediate'andsaid third section to the basesection.

2. A needle cam ring comprising a memher with an annular rib, an arcuatesection resting against the outer face of said rib and 4 presenting aface flush with the inner face thereof, and a third arcuate sectionresting against the outer face of said section and presenting a faceflush with the inner facev thereof, said rib and sections being adaptedto carry needle cams OILtl'lGlI mner faces, n combination wlth meanssecuring said two sections to the rib. a I I s 1 3. A needle cam rlngcomprising a mem her with an annular rib, a series'of arcuate foronetype of needle,the intermediate section carrying the cams forming theother side of that track and also one side of thetrack 4 for the otherneedles, and the outer section carrying the cams for theother sideof-the second track. a

5. Inca segmental camring, semi-circular rooves in adj oining' facesoftwo segments, orming a key-Way, anda key for co-operation therewith,said key. and key-way being i threaded and screwed together for a partof their length. I

- 6. In a segmental cam ring, two segments having in adjoining facessemi-circular groovestogether with enlarged semi-circular recessesconnecting with sald grooves and providing convex end surfaces, incombina tion with a threaded member for reception in said grooves and ahead adapted to be drawn against said end surface by said member, saidhead hav ng a concave' -end surface for ens gaging the sa dconvexsurface,

7 In a segmental cam ring, two segments having in ad o1n1ng facesgrooves, forming together a threaded recess with a convex end surface,in combinationwitha threadedkey having a concave end surface with itsconcave surface engaging said convex surfaces 8. Ina segmental cam ring,two segments having in adjoining faces grooves, forming together athreaded recess, in combination with a threaded key, said key andrecesshaving co-operating beveled facesholding said segments together. 5i 1 V r In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thisspecification.

HARRY SWINGLEHURST.

-- sections resting against the outer face of said v I rib and eachpresenting a face flush'with the inner face of said rib, a second seriesof sections resting against the outer faces of said first series andeachpresenting a face flush with the inner face of said'rib, said rib andsaid sectionwbeing adapted to carry needle cams on their inner faces,*in combination with means securing said section to SELldIlb, and keymeans'between ad o1nmg' sections.

' 4. A needle cam ring segment comprising 7 a base section, anintermediate section resting against the base section and an outersection against the intermediate section, all three I presenting innerfaces flush with one another and carryingca'ms for co-operationwith longand short needles, the base section carrying the cams forming one sideof the cam track

